Automatic advertising apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. 0. JENNINGS. AUTOMATIC ADVERTISING APPARATUS. No. 469,652. PatentedFeb. 28, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM O. JENNINGS, OF CAMDEN, NETV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE JENNINGSMACHINE COMPANY, OF NEIV JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC ADVERTISING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 469,652, dated February23, 1892. Application filed May 20,1891. Serial No. 393,385. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM 0. JENNINGS, of Camden, in the county ofCamden and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement inAutomatic AdvertisingApparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has reference to automatic advertising apparatus; and itconsists of certain improvements, which are fully set forth in thefollowing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, whichform a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to employ electricity for operatingindicators or signaling devices which shall convey to the observercertain meaning and shall be operated automatically by suitable deviceswhich may be set in motion and continue to operate inechanically for anindefinite period.

In the operation of the device successive indications will be made inpredetermined order and mayindicate certain isolated ideas or a chain ofconnected thoughts.

My improvement is especially adapted to advertising purposes by theemployment of a'large number of electric indicators, such as lampsarranged close together and adapted to be energized in different ordersor arrangements, whereby letters, words, or figures may be spelled orobjects indicated rapidly.

In carrying out my invention I provide a large number of lamps arrangedupon a board or otherwise suitably connected and held in a plane closetogether. An automatic device is arranged in an electric circuit,including the several lamps, which shall automatically and successivelyclose the electric circuit through any of the lamps desired for thepurpose of indicating letters, figures, words, or objects. The automaticdevice is arranged in a predetermined manner to produce the closing ofany of the circuits desired at successive intervals of time.

It is immaterial to my invention what the particular details of theautomatic device may be so long as they control the circuit of each lampautomatically.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of an apparatusembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of same. Fig. 3 is across-section through the individual circuit-controlling contacts andtheir supports. Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the circuits, and Fig.5 is a sectional plan view of a portion of the circuit-controllingdevice.

A is the main frame of the machine and supports at two distantly-locatedplaces the cylinders B, about which is arranged a chain ofcircuit-closin g plates. These cylinders and chains are caused tointermittently travel by the means of a pawl e, operating upon aratchetwheel E (secured to one of the cylinders B) by means of a leverF, which is oscillated or rocked by a link f and lever F, having aroller F and a cam G, working against the said roller F This cam is soshaped that the wheel 13 is operated during a portion of a revolution,and then is allowed to remain at rest for a given period, and so on.

(Z are a series of links forming chains which pass about the cylinders13, and to these chains are secured transverse plates of insulatingmaterial D, Fig. Secured to these insulating-plates D are metallicplates D, having projecting pins P, arranged in different orders upontheir faces. The cam Gis secured to a shaft g, which is rotated by meansof gearing II h from an electric motor or other power devices I.

J is a vertically-reciprocating frame having guides 7t working in theframe-work K, secured upon the upper part of the main frame A This frameJ is reciprocated vertically by means of a lever M, a link m, areciprocating rod N, and a cam a, secured to the shaft G, the cam 11 andcam G being so arranged with respect to each other that when the partsoperated by the cam G are at rest the frame J is reciprocated by the cam01, and vice versa. The frame J carries a plate of insulating material,in which are fixed a series of contacts Z, made like tubes or in anyother suitable manner, and corresponding in number to the number oflamps or signal devices which it is intended to control. This frame J,with its contact-plate, is adapted to be moved to or from the plates D,having the pins P, and the parts are so timed that when the plate L,withits contact I, is lowered it fits down upon the pins of the plate D,arranged below it, and whatever pins are arranged upon the said plate Dwill close the several circuits which each of the lamps'are led'by acablev to the several contacts Z. The other terminals of the respectivelamps are connected to a single clrcult R, which includes acurrent-generating device or source of electrical energy 1' and by aspring-contact W supplies current to that metallic plate D which mayhappen to be under the reciprocating frame J. (See Fig. 5.) If desired,this circuit may have a current-controlling device 4, as shown in Fig.4, which indicates a series-generator, or the regulator may be arrangedin the 'fieldcoils of ashunt-wound generator, as indicated in Fig. 1. I

S is a circuit-switch,which is automatically opened and closed, so thatat the time the pins P enter the sockets or tubular contacts Z there isno current flowing through the circuit R. Immediately after the contacthas been made between the pins and tubular contacts the switch S isautomatically closed and the ourrent sent through the respective lamps.By this means there is no danger of burning out the delicate pins andthe expensive contactplate L, as all of the danger of burning isprovided for at the main switch S, which maybe of any of the well-knownconstructions which open and close rapidly to avoid danger of heatingand burning. As shown, this switch S is operated by avertically-reciprocating rod 8, which is moved up or down by means of aprojecting arm j, extending from the frame J and striking upon thecollars 8 8 There is a signal-plate between the collars s s to permitthe pins P and the tubular sockets or contactl to be brought intocontact before moving the switch S.

To prevent the downward thrust upon the pins P moving the plates Ddownward, the said chains or links and their plates are supported whilepassing below the reciprocatingframe J by the guide or table 0, which issecured to the main frame of the machine.

It is quite evident that in place of using the chain and contact-platesand two cylinders a single cylinder might be employed having the platesD or pins thereof arranged upon its periphery, in which case itwouldsubstantially correspond to one of the cylinders B, enveloped bytheplates D.

The platesD are all perforated with a series of holes corresponding tothe contacts 1 of the circuit-closing plate L, so that the pins P may bearranged in any or all of these holes for the purpose of closing anyparticular circuits of the indicating devices or lamps T. By this meansthe contacts are adjustable upon the plate.

While the construction herein set out is excellently adapted to thepurpose, I do not limit myself to the mere details shown, as

they maybe modified in numerous ways without departing from theprinciples of my invention, which are especially directed to means tomechanically control the energizing of a series of 7 electrical devicesin a predetermined order for any given purpose.

Having now described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a series of electricall y-actuated indicatingdevices, separate circuits for each of the said indicating devices, a

source of electrical energy common to all of.

the circuits, a series of movable contact plates or surfaces havingcontacts arranged thereon and connecting with the source of electricalenergy, a reciprocating circuit closing plate having a series ofcontacts respectively connected with the several circuits,including theindicating device and movable to and from the contact plates orsurfaces, and a power device for moving the series of contact plates orsurfaces successively past and in contact with the circuit closing platefor energizing the electric indicators in different predeterminedorders.

2. The-combination of a series of electrically-actuated indicatingdevices, separate circuits for each of the said indicating devices, asource of electrical energy common to all of the circuits, a series ofcontact plates or surfaces having contacts arranged thereon andconnecting with the source of electrical energy, a circuit-closing platehaving a series of contacts respectively connected with the severalcircuits and including the indicating devices, a power device for movingthe series of contact plates or surfaces successively past and incontact with the circuit-closing plate for energizing the electricindicators in different predetermined orders, and an automatic switch inthe main circuit for interrupting the flow of the current until afterthe contacts on the circuit-closing plate are in contact with thecontacts of the contact plates or surfaces.

3. The combination of a series of electrically-actuated indicatingdevices, separate circuits for each of the said indicating devices, asource of electrical energy common to all of the circuits, a series ofcontact plates or surfaces having contacts arranged thereon andconnecting with the source of electrical energy, a circuit-closing platehaving a series of contacts respectively connected with the severalcircuits and including the indicating devices, a power device for movingthe series of contact plates or surfaces successively past and incontact with the circuit-closing plate for energizing the electricindicators in different predetermined orders, a switch in the maincircuit for interrupting the flow of the current until after thecontacts on the circuitclosing plate are in contact with the contacts ofthe contact plates or surfaces, and automatic devices controlled by therelative moves for automatically closing and opening the main circuitafter the contacts are brought into contact with each other to preventfusing of the same.

4. The combination of a series of electrically-actuated indicatingdevices,a source of electricalenergy,electriccircuitsincludingtherespective indicating devices, a series of independent platesrespectively provided with contacts arranged thereon in differentpositions and moved successively one after the other past a given placeand electrically connected with one terminal of the source of energy, amovable reciprocating circuit-closing plate having a series of contactsrespectively connected with the respective indicating devices andmovable to or from the said plates, and power mechanism forintermittently causing a relative movement between the contact-platesand circuit-closin g plate for bringing the contacts into connection andenergizing those indicating devices corresponding to the contacts uponthe plates.

5. The combination of a series of electrically-actuated indicatingdevices, a source of electrical energy, electric circuits including therespective indicating devices, a series of plates respectively providedwith contacts arranged thereon in different positions and movedsuccessively one after the other past a given place and electricallyconnected with one terminal of the source of energy, a movablecircuit-closing plate having a series of contacts respectively connectedwith the respective indicating devices, power mechanismforintermittently causing a relative movement between the contact-platesand circuitclosing plate for bringing the contacts into connection andenergizing those indicating devices corresponding to the contacts uponthe plates, and an automatic switch for interrupting the main circuitprior to the separation of the contacts and closing the main circuitafter the meeting of the contacts to pre-- in successive intervals oftime, and power mechanism for alternately and intermittently operatingthe circuit-closing plate and contact-surface.

7. The combination of a series of electrically-actuated indicatingdevices, a source of electrical supply, circuits including the source ofsupply and the respective indicating devices, a reciprocatingcircuit-closing plate having contacts respectively connected with therespective indicating devices, a series of contact-plates connectedtogether and having contacts arranged upon the respective plates indifferent orders and connected with the source of electric energy, andpower mechanism for intermittently moving the contact-plates andcircuit-closing plate alternately.

S. The combin ation of aseries of indicating devices, a movablecircuit-closing plate having a series of contacts respectively connectedwith one of the terminals of the respective indicating devices, acontact-plate having a series of adjustable contacts adapted to work inconnection with the contacts of the circuitclosing plate andelectrically connected with a source of energy and the other terminalsof all the indicating devices, whereby a rearrangement of the contactsof the plate will cause a different order of the indicating devices tobe energized, and means for intermittently reciprocating said plates tobring them into relative contact.

9. The combination of a series of electrically-actuated indicatingdevices, circuits including the respective indicating devices andconnecting them with a source of electric energy, an endless chain ofplates electrically connected with the source of electrical energy, aseries of contact-plates supported upon said endless chain of plates andelectrically connected therewith but having their contacts arranged indifferent orders, means for intermittently moving the said chain ofplates in one direction, an intermittently-reciprocatin gcircuit-closing plate having a series of contacts respectively connectedwith the other terminals of the electrically-actuated indicatingdevices, and power mechanism for reciprocating the said circuit-closingplate when the chain of contact-plates is at rest.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

WM. 0. JENNINGS. Witnesses:

JAMES E. HAYS, G. WEsLnY WEYGAND.

